Helical feed screws for container processing machinery

ABSTRACT

1. Apparatus comprising in combination with a station at which there are instrumentalities for applying labels to containers, a containers to the station and a pair of spaces parallel side-by-side helical screws supported above the conveyor for rotation about horizontal axes in longitudinally spaced fixed bearings, the helices of said screws cooperating to arrange the containers on the conveyor at a predetermined spacing as they travel along with the conveyor, drive means common to both screws for effecting rotation thereof in the same direction, first manually operable means connected with said common drive means operable to rotatably adjust the helices of the screws in consonance about their axes relative to said station and second manually operable means connected with said common drive means operable to rotatably adjust the helices of one of the screws relative to the other.

Oct. 15, 1974 3,841,945

HELICAL FEED SCREWS FOR CONTAINER'PROCESSING MACHINERY s. T CARTER 4Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1972 Oct. 15, 1974 5, T, A 3.841 945HELICAL FEED SCREWS FOR CONTAINER PROCESSING MACHINERY Filed Dec. 18,1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGAA "I Oct. 15, 1974 s. T. CARTER v ,3

HELICAL FEED SCREWS FOR couunma PRQCESSING mcflmsny Filed Dec. 18, 19724 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 =t.15.1974 5.1mm i 3.841.

HELICAL FEED SCREWS FOR CONTAINER PROCESSING MACHINERY Filed Dec. 18,1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 4;,

United States 1 Patent ()fficel 3,841,946 Patented Oct. 15, 19743,841,946 HELICAL FEED SCREWS FOR CONTAINER PROCESSING MACHINERY SidneyT. Carter, Shrewsbury, Mass, assignor to A-T-O Inc., Cleveland, OhioFiled Dec. 18, 1972, Ser. No. 315,795 Int. Cl. B65c 9/06 US. Cl. 156-56613 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The combination with labelingapparatus, of a pair of spaced parallel helical screws mounted in fixedbearings cooperative to arrange containers, moving along on a conveyorto a labeling station whre there are labeling instrumentalities, at aspacing corresponding to the intervals between labeling operation anddriving connections connecting the two screws to a source of power foreffecting rotation of the screws, said driving connections beingadapted, on the one hand, to displace the helices of the screws inconsonance relative to the station to advance or retract the line ofcontainers relative to the operating station and, on the other hand, todisplace the helix of one screw relative to the other to orient thecontainers about their vertical axes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of helical screws for spacingcontainers in predetermined spaced relation while travelling along on aconveyor toward an operating station, for example a station for applyinglabels to bottles or containers, is wellknown in the art. Ordinarilysuch screws are mounted in fixed bearings and when it becomes necessaryto change the timing of presentation of the containers to thelabelapplying instrumentalities, for example, to shift the position ofapplication of labels to the containers, it is necessary to unbolt thesehearings and reposition them, an operation which is time consuming andresults in downtime in the use of the machine. Additionally, because thecontainers may not be of symmetrical cross-section it may be necessaryto adjust one of the screws relative to the other that is, to advancethe helix of one screw relative to the helix of the other to properlyaccommodate the unsymmetrical shape of the containers to the spacebetween helices and when this is the case there is the added problem ofnot only detaching the supporting bearings for the screws but also ofshifting them relative to each other. The purpose of this invention isto make it possible to move the helices of the two screws relative tothe support on which the containers are travelling to advance or retractthe line of containers relative to the labelapplying station to enableadjusting the arrival of the containers at the label-applying stationwith the opera tion of the label-applying instrumentalities at thestation without having to dismount the screws and also to enableadjusting one screw relative to the other for containers of differentnon-symmetrical cross-section.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the invention comprises spaced parallelhelical feed screws cooperative to arrange containers moving along asupport in single file at a predetermined spacing, means supporting thescrews between longitudinally spaced fixed bearings at their ends, drivemeans connected to the screws for effecting rotation thereof, and meansassociated with the drive means for efiecting longitudinal displacementof the helices of the two screws relative to the support and to eachother. The support comprises a conveyor for moving the containers to astation, for example, for the application of labels thereto wherein thescrews are arranged above the support and the means embodied in thedrive for moving the helices on the screws relative to the station isfor the purpose of adjusting the arrival of the containers at thestatlon in timed relation to the label operation and for movementrelative to each other for the purpose of orienting the containers abouttheir vertical axes. The screws are rotated by driven sprocketsdrivingly connected thereto, a drive sprocket, a chain extending aboutthe sprockets, an idler sprocket yieldably supported between one of thedriven sprockets and the drive sprocket over which a loop of the chainpasses on its way from the one driven sprocket to the drive sprocket,and means mounting the drive sprocket for vertical movement relative tothe driven sprockets. There is an idler sprocket situated intermediatethe driven sprockets over which the chain travels from one of the drivensprockets downwardly to the idler sprocket and from which it travelsupwardly to the other driven sprocket, and there is means mounting theidler sprocket for vertical movement relative to said driven sprockets.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the screws in their relation to thelabel-applying apparatus and a conveyor on which the containers areadvanced to the label-applying apparatus for the application of labels;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing displacement of the helices ofthe screws forwardly relative to the label-applying instrumentalities;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the helix of one screwadvanced forwardly relative to the helix of the other screw;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary elevation showing the bearing at one end of oneof the screws and the aligning marks thereon;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevation taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an elevation taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, there is shown the upper run 10 of aconveyor supported above a table 12 for movement toward labelinginstrumentalities 14-14 mounted on the table at opposite sides of theconveyor for applying labels to containers, advanced thereto by theconveyor 10. The label-applying instrumentalities include magazines16-16 from which labels are picked by picking means 18-18 which pick thelabels from the magazine and supply them to turrets 20-20 which carrythe successive labels past adhesive-applying rollers 22-22 forapplication of adhesive to their surfaces and then into engagement withthe containers on the conveyor. The label-applying instrumentalities14-14 are positioned at both sides of the conveyor so as to apply labelsto both sides at the same time.

In order to present the containers to the label-applyinginstrumentalities in predetermined spaced relation a pair of helicalscrews 24-24 are mounted above the conveyor 10 on spaced parallel,longitudinally extending shafts 26-26. The shafts 26-26 are journaled attheir opposite ends in fixed bearing members 28-28 and 30-30. Thebearing members 28-28 are mounted above the table at the upper ends ofplates 29-29 and the bearings members 30-30 are mounted at the upperends of plates 31-31. 7

One of the screws 24 (FIG. 1) is shorter than the other to provide forleading the containers into the space between the screws. The longerscrew has at its receiving end a conical portion 32. Opposite theconical portion 32, at the receiving end of the shorter screw andconfronting the conical portion 32, there is a yieldably mounted guideplate 34 which provides means for conducting the containers from thepreceding operation into positions between the successive helices on thelonger screw before they are moved into engagement with the helices onthe shorter screw. The guide plate 34, as shown in FIGS. and 6, hasstuds 35 fixed to its rear side provided with eyes 36 by means of whichthe guide plate 34 is mounted on pins 38 fixed to the upper ends ofposts 40. The posts 40 extend downwardly through a plate 41 at the topof a rigid frame 44 mounted on the table and are pivotally supported attheir lower ends in studs 37 fixed to the frame which have eyes 42, inwhich the lower ends of the posts are pivotally supported by means ofpins 43 at the lower ends of the posts. A base plate 46 at the lower endof the frame 44 provides means for fastening the frame to the table. Theplate 41 contains openings 52 through which the posts project. Springs54 connected at their lower ends to pins 56 fastened to the posts and attheir upper ends to the frame 44 bias the posts in a clockwise directionas shown in FIG. 6 toward the conical portion of the screw so as to holdthe guide surface at a predetermined distance from the screw which willlead the containers into the helix of the screw and which will yield inthe event that any container becomes jammed. The spacing is determinedby engagement of the posts with the ends 58 of the openings 52.

The screws 24-24 (FIG. 1) have helical threads 60 and these threads asthe screws are rotated in the same direction serve to space thecontainers at a predetermined uniform spacing.

The screws 2424 are driven by meshing gears (FIG. 4) comprising gears6262 fixed to the shafts 2626, gears 6464 fixed to the shafts 66--66mounted in the bearing members 28-28, driven sprockets 68.-68 fixed tothe gears 64-64 and a common drive sprocket 70 which is driven by ashaft 72 (FIG. 7) mounted in a bearing block 74, the latter beingmounted for vertical movement in a vertically extending track 76provided at one side of a post 78 fixed at its lower end to the base ofthe machine and at its upper end to a bearing plate 80 fastened to andextending downwardly from the underside of the table 12. The shaft 72contains a flexible coupling 71 (FIG. 7) which permits the bearing block74 and hence the sprocket to be moved up and down the required amountwithout interruption of the drive. The bearing block 74 is adapted to bemoved vertically by means of a screw 82, the upper end of which isthreaded into the bearing block 74 and the lower end of which hasfastened to it a sprocket 86 (FIGS. 4 and 7) about which one end of achain 86a (FIGS. 8 and 9) is entrained. Rotation of the driven sprockets68-68 is effected by a chain 88 entrained about these sprockets, thedrive sprocket 70 and a number of idler sprockets, the latter comprisingan idler sprocket 90 (FIG. 4) mounted at the underside of the tablemidway between the sprockets 68,68 and two pairs of idler sprockets92-92 and 94-94 also mounted at the underside of the table 12 atopposite sides of the idler sprocket 90 and symmetrically with respectthereto. The portions of the chain 88 entrained about the sprockets 6868travel downwardly through suitable openings in the table between thesprockets 92, 94 of the pairs of sprockets, the inner runs comprising acontinuous loop which extends about the outer sides of the sprockets9494 and the sprocket 90. The outer runs extend from the sprocket 68 atthe right-hand side of the machine, as shown in FIG. 4, directlydownwardly about the inner side of the sprocket 92 and around the drivesprocket 70. The outer run of the chain at the left-hand side alsoextends downwardly about the inner side of the sprocket 92 but incontrast to that at the righthand side travels about a yieldably mountedsprocket 96 and a fixed sprocket 97 on its way to the drive sprocket 70so as to form a loop in the chain between the sprocket 92 and thesprocket 70. The sprocket 96 is mounted on a block 98 which is slidablymounted at the distal end of a rod 100. The rod 190 is pivotally mountedat its proximal end on a stub shaft 102 on which there is also mountedthe sprocket 97. A coil spring 104 on the rod holds the sprocket 96 atthe distal end thereof.

The idler sprocket (FIGS. 4 and 9) is supported by a block 106, theupper end of which is connected to the lower end of a screw 108. Theupper end of the screw is threaded into the hub of a sprocket so that byrotation of the sprocket 110 the screw 108 can be moved vertically andthus etfect vertical movement of the idler sprocket 90.

When the drive sprocket 70 is moved vertically the yieldably mountedsprocket 96 which is spring-loaded allows the entire chain to be movedin one direction or the other. Downward movement rotates the sprockets64-64 in a clockwise direction which advances the helices of the screws2424, as shown in FIG. 4. When the drive sprocket 70 is moved upwardlythe sprockets 6464 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction and thisretracts the helices of the feed screws. T he displacement of thehelices forwardly advances the entire line of containers forwardlyrelative to the label-applying station and displacement of the helicesrearwardly retracts the entire line of containers relative to thelabel-applying station.

When the idler sprocket 90 is moved up and down only the sprocket 64 atthe left side is rotated. Upward movement rotates the sprocketcounterclockwise thus retracting the helix of the screw at that side anddownward movement rotates the sprocket clockwise thus advancing thehelix of the screw at the spring takeup side as shown in FIG. 3. Therelative displacement of the helices of the screws rotates or twists thecontainers about their vertical axes in one direction or the other toaccommodate the containers to the space between the helices.

Adjustment of the screws while the machine is moving is effected bycontrol knobs 113, (FIGS. 8 and 9) on the table connected to therespective sprockets 86 and 110 by means of chains 86a, 90a andsprockets 86b, 901).

When installing the screws at the infeed position on the machine it isadvantageous that both sprockets 70 and 90 be in the midposition. Thisallows adjustment in either direction. Usually a mark a on each feedscrew is lined up with a stationary mark b on one of the bearings (FIG.4a). A hand wheel H (FIG. 7) is provided on the main shaft 109 (FIGS. 4and 7) which is graduated in degrees for a specific set of screws. Theshaft 109 is drivingly connected to the shaft 72 by gearing 111, 112 sothat by turning the shaft 72 the screws may be turned to align the marksa thereon with the bearing marks b (FIG. 4a). Since it is not possibleto always be exact in marking these adjustments final adjustments aremade by advancing or retracting the screws by means of the aforesaidcontrol knobs 113, 115.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 containers or bottles being advanced in randomto the labeling apparatus will not always match the lead thread of thescrew and if a com tainer should ride onto the middle of a thread itwill displace the yieldable plate 34 which actuates a switch S to stopthe machine.

While the adjustment of the screws has been described for use incombination with a label-applying machine it is within the scope of theinvention to use it in combination with any machine requiring thatcontainers be delivered thereto at a predetermined spacing and at apredetermined timing.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus comprising in combination with a station at which there areinstrumentalities for applying labels to containers, a conveyor formoving the containers to the station and a pair of spaced parallelside-by-side helical screws supported above the conveyor for rotationabout horizontal axes in longitudinally spaced fixed bearings, thehelices of said screws cooperating to arrange the containers on theconveyor at a predetermined spacing as they travel along with theconveyor, drive means common to both screws for effecting rotationthereof in the same direction, first manually operable means connectedwith said common drive means operable to rotatably adjust the helices ofthe screws in consonance about their axes relative to said station andsecond manually operable means connected with said common drive meansoperable to rotatably adjust the helices of one of the screws relativeto the other.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for effectingrotation of the screws comprises first gears fixed t the screws, secondgears meshing with the first gears, driven sprockets fixed to the secondgears, a drive sprocket, a chain extending about the sprockets, an idlersprocket yieldably supported between one of the driven sprockets and thedrive sprocket over which a loop of a chain passes on its way from saidone driven sprocket to the drive sprocket and means mounting the drivesprocket for movement relative to the driven sprocket and wherein thefirst manually operable means operates to effect movement of the drivesprocket relative to the driven sprocket.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for effectingrotation of the screws comprises driven Wheels, rotation of whichefiects rotation of the screws, a drive wheel, a continuous elongateflexible member entrained about said wheels, rotation of the drive wheelbeing operable by way of said flexible member and driven wheels toimpart rotation to said screws in the same direction, a yieldablymounted idler wheel situated between one of the driven wheels and thedrive wheel about which a loop of the endless member is entrained andmeans supporting the drive wheel for movement relative to the drivenwheels and wherein said first manually operable means operates to effectmovement of the drive wheel relative to the driven wheels.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for effectingrotation of the screws comprise gears, rotation of which effect rotationof the screws in the same direction, sprockets for effecting rotation ofthe gears, a drive sprocket, a chain entrained about said sprockets, ayieldably supported idler sprocket situated between one of saidsprockets and the drive sprocket over which a loop of the chain passesand means for supporting the driven sprocket for movement relative tosaid one sprocket and wherein the first manually operable means operatesto move the drive sprocket relative to said one sprocket.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for effectingrotation of the screws comprise pairs of meshing gears, one gear of eachpair being fixed to one of the screws, a driven sprocket fixed to theother gear of each of the pair of gears and a drive sprocket, a chainentrained about the sprockets, an idler situated between the sprocketsabout which a portion of the chain travels such that equal lengths ofthe chain run downwardly from one driven sprocket about the idler andupwardly from the idler to the other driven sprocket, a yieldablymounted idler sprocket situated between one of the driven sprockets andthe drive sprocket about which a loop of the chain is entrained, andmeans for moving the drive sprocket re1ative to the driven sprockets,said means comprising said first manually operable means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for effectingrotation of the screws comprise pairs of meshing gears, one gear of eachpair being fixed to one of the screws, a driven sprocket fixed to theother gear of each pair, a drive sprocket, idler sprockets supportedbetween the first sprockets in symmetrical relation thereto such thatequal lengths of chain extend from one of the driven sprockets to theidler sprocket and from the idler sprocket to the other of the drivensprockets, a yieldably mounted idler sprocket situated between one ofthe driven sprockets and the drive sprocket about which a loop of thechain passes, and means for effecting movement of the drive sprocketrelative to the driven sprockets comprising said first manually operablemeans.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for effectingrotation of the screws comprise pairs of meshing gears, one gear of eachpair being fixed to one of the screws, first sprockets fixed to theother gears of each pair, a drive sprocket, second sprockets situated between the first sprockets about which the chain travels from one of thefirst sprockets to the other of the first sprockets, said secondsprocket being so arranged that equal portions of the chain travel fromone of the first sprockets to the second sprockets and from the secondsprockets to the first sprockets, third sprockets situated between thefirst sprockets and the drive sprocket over which portions of the chainextend from the first sprockets to the drive sprocket, a yieldablymounted idler sprocket situated between one of the latter sprockets andthe drive sprocket about which a loop of the chain travels, and meansfor effecting movement of the drive sprocket relative to the firstsprockets, said means comprising said first manually operable means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for effectingrotation of the screws comprises a driven sprocket connected to each ofsaid screws such that rotation of a driven sprockets efi'ects rotationof the screws, a drive sprocket, a chain entrained about said sprockets,such that rotation of the drive sprocket efiects rotation of the drivensprockets in the same direction, a first idler sprocket situated betweenthe driven sprockets about which the chain passes from one to the other,a yieldably mounted second idler sprocket situated between one of thedriven sprockets and the drive sprocket over which a loop of the chainpasses and means for effecting movement of the first idler sprocketrelative to the driven sprockets, said means comprising said secondmanually operable means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein there is means mounting thefirst idler sprocket for movement relative to the driven sprockets andsaid second manually operable means effects movement of said mountingmeans.

10. Appaartus according to claim 2, wherein said means for effectingrotation of the screws comprises a driven sprocket connected to each ofsaid screws such that ro tation of the driven sprockets effects rotationof the screws, a drive sprocket, an endless chain entrained about thesprockets such that rotation of the drive sprocket imparts rotation tothe driven sprockets to rotate the screws in the same direction, a firstidler sprocket situated between the driven sprockets, about which alength of chain passes, so located that equal lengths of the chainextend from one driven sprocket to the idler and from the idler to theother driven sprocket, a yieldably mounted second idler sprocketsituated between one of the driven sprockets and the drive sprocketabout which a loop of the chain passes from the one driven sprocket tothe drive sprocket and means for mounting the first idler sprocket formove ment relative to the driven sprockets and wherein the secondmanually operable means is operable to effect movement of said mountingmeans.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first manually operablemeans efi'ects movement of the drive sprocket relative to the drivensprocket.

12. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a rod supports the yieldablymounted idler sprockets, said yieldably mounted idler sprocket beingslidable along the rod toward the drive sprocket and a spring yieldablyholds the idler sprocket at the distal end of the rod.

13. Apparatus comprising in combination a conveyor for moving containersalong a predetermined path and a pair of spaced parallel feed screwssupported above the conveyor and parallel thereto for receiving andleading containers moving along the conveyor in single file at apredetermined spacing, drive means connected to the screws for eflectingrotation thereof in the same direction, first manually operable meansoperable to rotatably w adjust the helices of the screws in consonanceabout their axes to effect longitudinal displacement of the helicesrelative to the conveyor and second manually operable means operable torotatably adjust the helix of one of the screws relative to that of theother.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES E. VAN HORN, PrimaryExaminer I. W. MASSIE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

1. Apparatus comprising in combination with a station at which there areinstrumentalities for applying labels to containers, a containers to thestation and a pair of spaces parallel side-by-side helical screwssupported above the conveyor for rotation about horizontal axes inlongitudinally spaced fixed bearings, the helices of said screwscooperating to arrange the containers on the conveyor at a predeterminedspacing as they travel along with the conveyor, drive means common toboth screws for effecting rotation thereof in the same direction, firstmanually operable means connected with said common drive means operableto rotatably adjust the helices of the screws in consonance about theiraxes relative to said station and second manually operable meansconnected with said common drive means operable to rotatably adjust thehelices of one of the screws relative to the other.